As valued friends of Murdoch James we wanted to inform you of a few changes.

You may be aware that in 2014 we purchased a second vineyard in Martinborough, Luna Estate. In 2016 we opened the Luna cellar door and launched our first wines under the new Luna label. The Luna site is on the famed Martinborough terraces, and the silty clay/loam top soil sits above deep gravels of ancient, alluvial river terraces. This site provides a complete contrast to the ancient marine seabed base of Murdoch James, with layers of clay loam, limestone and greywacke.

The successful establishment of our second vineyard label, has led us to consider the future direction of the Murdoch James brand. After much deliberation, we have decided to focus on the Luna brand in the domestic market, and retain the Murdoch James brand for our established export markets only.

The existing Murdoch James site in Dry River Road has been rebranded “Luna Blue Rock” and the Luna site in Puruatanga Road will be known as “Luna Eclipse”. Wines will be produced from both blocks, offering a range of estate and single vineyard wines which will be available for purchase through our Luna cellar door and website. www.lunaestate.co.nz

This is an exciting change for us, bringing together two of Martinborough’s most unique growing sites under the one label.

What does this mean for you?

Firstly we would like to thank you supporting Murdoch James and hope that you will continue to enjoy the wines we produce under the Luna label.

The Murdoch James cellar door closed on 31 January 2018.

The venue and gardens are now known as the Blue Rock Venue and available to hire for weddings and private functions.

Murdoch James wine club members will be contacted shortly with details on the new Luna wine club, including a special joining offer for the new Luna wine club.

Once again, thanks for your past support and we look forward to an exciting future.

ABOUT OUR VINEYARD

Situated on the Dry River terraces, the Blue Rock Vineyard enjoys premium grape growing soil conditions with a mixture of calciferous lime, clay and river silts with a high mineral content. The action of the Australian tectonic plate, scraping the bed of the Pacific plate millions of years ago, gave rise to the limestone rich hills of Blue Rock.

This unique site combined with Martinborough’s warm days and cool nights, forms the character or ‘place’ that is reflected in all of our wines.

In 1986 the first Pinot Noir and Syrah vines on the historic Saleyard’s Block located on the Martinborough Terraces. Early competition success established the winery’s reputation.

In 1998, the area of vines under cultivation was expanded with the purchase of the old Blue Rock Vineyard, located 8 kilometer’s south of Martinborough Village on the Dry River terraces, a vineyard also first planted in the mid-1980’s, with mainly Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Riesling vines. More recent plantings of Syrah, Pinot Gris and new Pinot clones have increased the area under vines to 25 hectares.

The vineyard operates on a bio-sustainable basis with the objective of capturing the true ‘terroir’.